Cross-Cultural Interpretation in the German Translation of Fortress Besieged: A Paratextual Perspective

FGS, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2026, pp.47-55.

Print ISSN: 3106-5503; Online ISSN: 3106-5511

Journal homepage: https://www.fgsjournal.com

DOI：https://doi.org/10.64058/fgs260105cigtf

副文本视角下《围城》德译本的跨文化阐释

马梦茜（Ma Mengxi），刘红卫（Liu Hongwei）

摘要：本文以《围城》德译本为研究对象，在副文本理论框架下，系统探究了内副文本的跨文化阐释功能。通过对封面、作者前言、后记、再版说明、注释及参考书目等内副文本形式的分析，本文认为《围城》德译本的内副文本构建了德语读者理解作品所需的文化语境预设，通过对中国历史文化及语言文化的解释，补偿了文化缺省所造成的理解障碍以及在德语国家语境中塑造了作者与作品的文学形象。研究表明，副文本引导德语读者全面深入地理解中国和中国文学作品，促进了中国文学作品的跨文化传播。

关键词：《围城》；副文本；文学翻译；跨文化阐释

作者简介：马梦茜，中南财经政法大学外国语学院硕士研究生，研究方向：英语文学，文学伦理学批评研究，电邮：383875946@qq.com。刘红卫（通讯作者），中南财经政法大学外国语学院教授，研究方向：英语文学，现当代英国戏剧，文学伦理学批评研究，电邮：liuhw@zuel.edu.cn。

Title: Cross-Cultural Interpretation in the German Translation of Fortress Besieged: A Paratextual Perspective

Abstract: This paper takes the German translation of Fortress Besieged as the research object, and systematically explores the cross-cultural interpretation function of the peritext under the framework of paratext theory. Through the analysis of the peritext form such as the cover, the author’s preface, the afterword, the reprint notes, the annotations and the bibliography, this paper argues that the peritext of the German translation of Fortress Besieged constructs the cultural context presuppositions required for German readers to understand the work, compensates for the comprehension barriers caused by cultural defaults through the interpretation of Chinese history and language culture, and shapes the literary image of the author and the work in the context of German-speaking countries. Research shows that the paratext guides German-speaking readers to have a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of China and Chinese literary works, and promotes the cross-cultural dissemination of Chinese literary works.

Keywords: Fortress Besieged; paratext; literary translation; cross-cultural interpretation

Author Biographies: Ma Mengxi, Master’s Candidate at the School of Foreign Studies, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law. Research Areas: English Literature, Ethical Literary Criticism. E-mail: 383875946@qq.com. Liu Hongwei (Corresponding Author), Professor at the School of Foreign Studies, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law. Research Areas: English Literature, Contemporary British Drama, Ethical Literary Criticism. E-mail: liuhw@zuel.edu.cn.

Received: 30 Mar 2026 / Revised: 25 Apr 2026 / Accepted: 26 Apr 2026 / Published online: 30 Apr 2026 / Print published: 30 May 2026.